Federal Climate Change Policy
The Federal Policy Committee is designed to provide members with a forum to share information on relevant congressional activity of interest to the Council, discuss policy and specific issue concerns, and coordinate strategies and activities to best achieve clean energy policy priorities.

Upcoming Events
Committee Meetings
The Federal Policy Committee meets regularly, every Tuesday, from 1:00 - 2:00 pm at the BCSE office in Washington, DC unless otherwise specified. This meeting is always accessible by teleconference. The call-in number is 1-888-409-0010, Passcode: 2776#.
Accomplishments & Workplan
Documents for Member Review & Comment
- TAG Stimulus Requests
- Pickens Plan Executive Summary
- Executive Summary of Clean Energy Technology Deployment Path to Climate Solutions Act (September 2008)
- Clean Energy Technology Deployment Path to Climate Solutions Act (September 2008)
Recently Circulated Committee Documents
- April 27 Waxman-Markey Memo on Mark-Up Schedule
- April 27 Request for Additional Day of Hearings
- American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 Discussion Draft Full Text
- American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 Discussion Draft Summary
- Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) Amendment to the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (February 9, 2009)
- Excel Analysis of Collins-Nelson Amendment (February 9, 2009)
- Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Bob Bennett (R-UT) Amendment to the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (February 9, 2009)
- Senator Boxer's Climate Change Principles (February 3, 2009)
- Senator Bingaman's Draft Legislation on Renewable Portfolio Standard (February 2009)
- Rep. Markey's Draft Legislation on Renewable Electricity Standard (February 2009)
- Rep. Markey's Draft Legislation on Energy Efficiency Standard (February 2009)
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Senate Finance Committee Summary (January 2009)
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Senate Appropriations Committee Summary (January 2009)
- Obama Recovery Plan (January 2009)
- TAG Letter to Senate Appropriations Committee (January 2009)
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009- Full Legislation (January 2009)
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Summary (January 2009)
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 - Full Legislation (January 2009)
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 - Summary (January 2009)
- Green Jobs Recovery Legislation, S.3725
- Green Jobs Recovery Legislation One Pager
- Biogas Production Incentive Act, H.R. 7097
- Biogas Production Incentive Support Letter
- Biogas Fact Sheet
- Clean Energy Now Coalition Letter to President-Elect Obama
- Clean Energy Now Coalition Letter to Congress
- BCSE 2009 Economic Recovery Request
- Text of Dingell-Boucher Climate Bill
- Executive Summary of Discussion Draft Allocation
- Draft Discussion Allocation Tables
- Chairmen Dingell & Boucher's Letter to House Committee on Energy & Commerce
- H.R. 7018, Clean EnergyTechnology Deployment Act, introduced by Rep. Jay Inslee
- Sign-On Letter to Speaker Pelosi Urging Comprehensive Global Warming Legislation
- G.A.O. Report on Offsets
- S.1387, As Reported by Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
- Carbon Offsets: The U.S. Voluntary Market Is Growing, but Quality Assurance Poses Challengesfor Open Markets
- Executive Summary of the New Apollo Program from the New Apollo Alliance
- New Apollo Program from the New Apollo Allianec (Full Document)
- House Energy Legislation (September 16)
- Summary of Senate Energy Summit (September 9)
- Fall 2008 Senate Energy Proposal (Gang of 16) (September 9)
- Offset Quality Initiative Presentation (September 9)
- Ensuring Offset Quality - Executive Summary (September 9)
- Ensuring Offset Quality - Full Report (September 9)
- Fact Sheet on Renewable Bio-Gas
- Letter to EPA re: Waste to Energy (July 29)
- Biogas Production Incentive Act of 2008,Congressman Higgins (D-NY) (July 29)
- Apollo Alliance: Draft Document for Circulation (July 18)
- House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality hearing on “Climate Benefits of Improved Building Energy Efficiency”- Summary Notes (July 17)
- July 15 Committee Strategic Planning Meeting Presentation
Federal Policy Work
Here are the latest updates and key documents related to the Council's federal policy work:
American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009
- BCSE ARRA Matrix
- BCSE August 10 ARRA Update
- BCSE July 21 ARRA Update
- Skila Harris (DOE) July 14 Presentation on ARRA Implementation Processes
- Ernst and Young July 7 Report on Treasury Grants for Renewable Energy Projects
- BCSE July 8 ARRA Update
- BCSE June 10 ARRA Update
- BCSE May 4 ARRA Update
- BCSE April 22 ARRA Update
- BCSE April 22 ARRA Memo on Renewable Energy
- BCSE April 6 ARRA Update
- BCSE March 30 ARRA Update
- BCSE March 23 ARRA Update
- Presentation by Jeff Genzer at March 17 BCSE FPC Meeting
- BCSE March 16 ARRA Update
- BCSE Recommendations to Conferees on ARRA (February 11, 2009)
- BCSE Letter to Senate Leadership on ARRA (January 23, 2009)
- BCSE Recommendations to Senate Leadership on ARRA (January 23, 2009)
- BCSE Letter to House Leadership on American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (January 22, 2009)
- BCSE Recommendations to House Leadership on American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (January 22, 2009)
2009 Policy Recommendations to the Obama Administration and 111th Congress
BCSE Testimony Before House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommitee on Energy and Air Quality
Senate Legislation
Clean Energy Tax Credits
Boxer Substitute Bill (S.3036) to Climate Security Act
Lieberman - Warner Climate Security Act (S.2191)
- BCSE Press Release on Final Version of S.2191 (December 2007)
- BCSE Letter to Senate Environment & Public Works Committee (November 2007)
- BCSE Comments on Draft Version of S.2191 (September 2007)
Fact Sheets
The Council sent these Fact Sheets to the Hill in advance of the debate on S.2191:
- Clean Energy Technology Project Profiles and Job Creation
- Climate Security Act and Consumer Energy Price Effects
House Legislation
- BCSE Letter Urges Passage of HR 2454 (June 23, 2009)
- BCSE Letter to House Energy & Commerce Committee Leadership on American Clean Energy and Security Act (May 6, 2009)
- BCSE Letter to House Leadership on Clean Energy Tax Credits
- BCSE Urges House to Adopt Critical Clean Energy Policies (September 11, 2008)
- BCSE Comments on House Committee on Energy and Commerce's White Paper on "Getting the Most Greenhouse Gas Reductions for Our Money" (May 2008)
U.S. EPA
- BCSE Comments on Proposed Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under the Clean Air Act (June 23, 2009)
- BCSE Comments to U.S. EPA on Energy Independence and Security Act's Industrial Energy Provisions & Rule-making
Issue & Legislation Comparison Documents
- BCSE Tracking Document (March 2008)
- Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Provisions Tracking Document (March 2008)
Clean Energy Technology Deployment Title
- Executive Summary of Clean Energy Technology Deployment Path to Climate Solutions Act (September 2008)
- Clean Energy Technology Deployment Path to Climate Solutions Act (September 2008)
Public Policy Position Statements & Papers
- BCSE Climate Change Position Statement (October 2007)
- BCSE Recommendations for a Federal Greenhouse Gas Offset Program (September 2007)
Green & Clean Energy Jobs
- Survey of Green Jobs Research (Summer 2008)
- Clean Energy Job Form (September 2008)
- Clean Energy Technology Project Profiles and Job Creation (June 2008)
Congressional Outreach
Oon April 24, 2009 the Council and the National Hydropower Association hosted a Congressional briefing on The Role of Energy Storage in a Clean Energy Economy, featuring a panel of its industry members - including Stephen Byrd, President, PSEG Holdings; Eladio Knipping, Senior Technical Manager, Environment, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); and Mike Jones, Director New Generation Development, Pacifica Gas & Electric. The focus of the panel was to show how energy storage technologies 1) enhance our nation’s energy independence by maximizing storage capacity to address resource variability and load management in the transportation and power sectors; 2) reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to meet our climate change goals; and 3) create new jobs in the sector of research & development, manufacture and operation of energy storage technologies and facilities. The energy storage technologies discussed included compressed aiir enegy storage (CAES), battery technology & plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and pumped hydro storage.
On March 24, 2009 the Council, in partnership with the American Gas Association and the Gas Technology Institute presented a Congressional briefing on "Renewable Natural Gas: A Clean Solution to Energy and Climate Challenges". Speakers included Mr. Jeff Petrash, Senior Managing Counsel, American Gas Association; Mr. Dan LeFevers, Executive Director, Gas Technology Institute; Mr. Chris Voell, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Mr. Rich Kessel, President & CEO, Environmental Power Corporation; and Ms. Marisa Uchin, Manager, Federal Government Affairs, PG&E Corporation. The panels discussed what renewable natural gas is, how it benefits the environment, and how it can help communities and create new jobs.
On October 22, 2008 the Council co-hosted the briefing "Green Jobs: Re-energizing the American Economy" with the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), in partnership with the House Climate Change Caucus to discuss the potential for green jobs in the United States and the policies needed to support them. The event was attended by over 150 people. The briefing featured opening remarks by Carol Werner, Executive Director, EESI, and a panel including Michael Renner, Senior Researcher, Worldwatch Institute; Bracken Hendricks, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; Kevin McCarty, Managing Director of the Climate Protection Center, US Conference of Mayors; and BCSE member Mark Wagner, Vice President for Government Relations, Johnson Controls.
On July 29, 2008 the Council co-presented a Congressional briefing with World Resources Institute and the California Institute on "The California Global Warming Solutions Act: What Can Congress Learn from the California Experience?" Panelists included: Mr. Anthony Eggert, Science and Technology Advisor, to Chair of the California Air Resources Board, Mr. Christopher Busch, Ph.D., Economist, California Climate Program, The Union of Concerned Scientists and Mr. Michael Murray, Director of Corporate Environmental Policy, Sempra Energy.
On June 27, 2008 the Council, along with the House Climate Change Caucus and the World Resources Institute hosted a briefing on “State and Regional Climate Change Initiatives: What You Need to Know as the States Move Forward” in Rm. 2318, Rayburn House Office Building. Over sixty people were in attendance. Panelists included Janice Adair, Chair, Western Climate Initiative and Special Assistant, Washington State Department of Ecology ;
Doug Scott, Director, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Franz Litz, Senior Fellow, World Resources Institute.
On June 2, 2008 Lisa Jacobson, Executive Director, participated in a climate change briefing hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Energy Task Force, “The Basics of Climate Change & Cap-and-Trade.” Other panelists included the Pew Center for Global Climate Change and the Environmental Defense Fund.
On May 16, 2008 the Council sponsored a briefing for the House Climate Change Caucus on "Offsets as a Cost Containment Mechanism in a Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Program." The briefing was the continuation in a series of briefings the Council has sponsored for the Climate Change Caucus. Panelists included Reid Harvey, Branch Chief of EPA’s Climate Change Division; Ron Luhur, Carbon Markets Specialist, Environmental Defense Fund; and Marisa Buchanan, Associate Director, Carbon Markets, Econergy.
On March 10, 2008 the Council co-sponsored a briefing with the American Gas Association (AGA) on "Climate Change: The Role Of Natural Gas." Paul Wilkinson, Vice President, Policy Analysis, AGA and Joel Bluestein, President, Energy & Environmental Analysis, Inc. were the featured speakers.
On March 6, 2008 the Council held a briefing on "Technology Options and the Cost of Greenhouse Gas Reduction" in collaboration with the House Climate Change Caucus. This briefing was part of an ongoing series of briefings on market-based climate change programs addressing the advantages and limitations of these systems, their major legislative design elements, costs and impacts on the economy, jobs, human health and national security and energy reliability. Approximately thirty people were in attendance. Speakers included Matt Rogers, Director, McKinsey & Company; Thomas Casten, Chairman, Recycled Energy Development; and Scott Hennessey, Manager, Climate & Energy Markets, Solar Energy Industries Association.
Staff Contact
If you have any specific questions regarding this committee, please contact Ruth McCormick at the Council at rmccormick(at)bcse.org or Tel: 202-785-0507.